Any suggestions would be appreciated

[rayndance]

I don't have the heart to put them down. Tried shoes, splitting, wrapping, adding nutritional yeast to food and Niacin to water at first sign of problems.

2 Weeks of treatment hasn't done any good.

 

[SmiYa0126]

@BelovedBirds @HollowOfWisps @New duck mommy 2021 can you help? Any ideas?

 

[BelovedBirds]

I don't have the heart to put them down. Tried shoes, splitting, wrapping, adding nutritional yeast to food and Niacin to water at first sign of problems.

2 Weeks of treatment hasn't done any good.

Was this a declining state, or have they always been disabled?
What form of niacin are you adding to the water, and what dosage to what amount of water?

I'm curious about the idea of slipped tendons.
But whether that is the case or not, these babies urgently need Durvet B complex, TSC carry this. 1ml fed orally via a treat, daily. Each affected duckling needs this full dose

 

[rayndance]

Was this a declining state, or have they always been disabled?
What form of niacin are you adding to the water, and what dosage to what amount of water?

I'm curious about the idea of slipped tendons.
But whether that is the case or not, these babies urgently need Durvet B complex, TSC carry this. 1ml fed orally via a treat, daily. Each affected duckling needs this full dose

I read on Metzer farms site to add 500 mg to 4 GAL of water if they spill a lot. I use human grade flush free Niacin capsules.

They started having symptoms around 2 weeks and they are now 4 1/2 weeks. I caught it early and started treatment within 24 hours as suggested. They became a little better then worse all of a sudden.

I just started focusing on making the comfortable because I feel like they might be already crippled.

Edit- also doing hydrotherapy every 24 hrs.

 

[BelovedBirds]

I read on Metzer farms site to add 500 mg to 4 GAL of water if they spill a lot. I use human grade flush free Niacin capsules.

They started having symptoms around 2 weeks and they are now 4 1/2 weeks. I caught it early and started treatment within 24 hours as suggested. They became a little better then worse all of a sudden.

I just started focusing on making the comfortable because I feel like they might be already crippled.

Edit- also doing hydrotherapy every 24 hrs.

You don't want to use flush free, you'll need flush effect niacin, it's a different form which will be released quicker. Flush free won't be very effective which is probably why they've not made much progress, I'd swap that for flush effect niacin asap-
I was able to fully correct my ducklings deficiency by adding niacin capsules their water, but it did take time and I had to keep adding niacin to their water for a considerable amount of time. But ideally if you can get some, B complex would be far better.

Hydrotherapy is great, just ensure they're supervised (I'm sure you already know this, just making sure). It definitely does sound like a severe niacin deficiency, whether at this stage it can be fully reversed, I'm not sure, but it's definitely worth a shot

Are they able to stand at all? Able to walk at all? Can they paddle in the water?

 

[rayndance]

You don't want to use flush free, you'll need flush effect niacin, it's a different form which will be released quicker. Flush free won't be very effective which is probably why they've not made much progress, I'd swap that for flush effect niacin asap-
I was able to fully correct my ducklings deficiency by adding niacin capsules their water, but it did take time and I had to keep adding niacin to their water for a considerable amount of time. But ideally if you can get some, B complex would be far better.

Hydrotherapy is great, just ensure they're supervised (I'm sure you already know this, just making sure). It definitely does sound like a severe niacin deficiency, whether at this stage it can be fully reversed, I'm not sure, but it's definitely worth a shot

Are they able to stand at all? Able to walk at all? Can they paddle in the water?

They can paddle.

The Khaki female (pic 4) walks on her joints. She's fast! She just scurries along with the rest of the flock, keeps up well, eats drinks, etc. The two injured Swedish will try to walk, but their feet still turn in, so they hobble. Goose (the cuddly one that lets me hold her, pic 3 and 5) has VERY swollen joints. I think she most def has slipped tendons but I'm no expert.

I was told to use flush free because the ducks drink and poop so much that is just goes right through their system with no time for absorption. I'm a little confused on that point now.

 

[BelovedBirds]

I was told to use flush free because the ducks drink and poop so much that is just goes right through their system with no time for absorption. I'm a little confused on that point now.

Whoever told you this got the two kinds muddled up, which happens sometimes
But trust me, its flush effect you want, not flush free.

The reason it's called flush free is because its a slow release from- it is free from the flush, literally. When humans take flush effect niacin, it hits the body hard because it releases fast. Flush free doesnt have this effect.
Because ducks expel waste frequently, nothing is going to sit in their system for that long, it needs to release in their system quite quickly, or they will pass it without absorbing it properly.
The flush free Niacin, isn't the correct pure form of the vitamin. Flush effect is the uncut original version.
That's the best way I can describe it. Definitely get them on flush effect capsules asap

 

[Miss Lydia]

Information https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/niacin-deficiency-in-waterfowl.1367557/ You def don't want to use flush-free or time-released niacin.
Nicotinic acid is the niacin you want. But with this you want liquid B complex.
here is info on slipped tendon and what to do
http://bcpoultryhobbyfarmingnetwork.weebly.com/fix-slipped-tendon.html

 

[rayndance]

Ok thanks for the info guys! I hope at least maybe the 2 Swedish ducks might bounce back. Their feet aren't turned all the way in like the little Khaki girl.

She seems pretty happy, so I'll let her live her life as long as she isn't suffering. I'll go out and get those now.

 

[Miss Lydia]

TSC usually has the liquid B complex It will say injectable but we use it orally.

I'd make sure the KC isn't moving around on hard surfaces so she doesn't get open wounds on her legs. Soft bedding and soft areas to be on will help alot.